Canadian med schools

[drake.ramoray]

Anybody here applying to any Canadian medical schools?

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[ocean11]

Hi Drake, yeah I am, I'm Canadian also... are you?

I have lots of info, I can help you out but I need to know if you're a US or Canadian citizen and if Canadian which province?

 

[drake.ramoray]

I'm a Canadian citizen in Ontario.
I'm just applying to Canadian schools this time around, and if things don't go as planned, I'll be applying to some of the big American schools next year (when I can get the applications in earlier).


On a side note, the University of Toronto has the highest matriculant average GPA I have seen in North America (3.84). Has anybody seen anything higher?

 

[ocean11]

Yeah I'm from Ontario too, actually I know people who have gotten in to U of T with 3.7's still high though. Nice thing is if you do grad school all you need is a 3.0, I know someone who went this route...
In my opinion the hardest University to get into in Ontario is Ottawa... the GPA cut off last year was around 3.87 and they are strict about it, u don't make it no interview....

I'd also recommend you try some out of province schools.... memorial and calgary u never know

 

[Spidey]

getting into med school in Canada is pretty rough

I know a guy who applied to all the ontario schools and only got 1 interview and no acceptances. But he applied to 5 US schools and got 3 acceptances. He told me I'd be a fool not to apply to US schools, even though I don't want to leave Canada. What are your stats? I'm told Ontario is one of the hardest provinces to get into med school from

 

[Spidey]

Originally posted by ocean11
I'd also recommend you try some out of province schools.... memorial and calgary u never know

Do those school accept more out of province than most?

 

[drake.ramoray]

Originally posted by ocean11

In my opinion the hardest University to get into in Ontario is Ottawa... the GPA cut off last year was around 3.87 and they are strict about it, u don't make it no interview....

A -cutoff- of 3.87?? that's insane. Is this stat on their website?

 

[drake.ramoray]

Originally posted by Spidey
getting into med school in Canada is pretty rough

I know a guy who applied to all the ontario schools and only got 1 interview and no acceptances. But he applied to 5 US schools and got 3 acceptances. He told me I'd be a fool not to apply to US schools, even though I don't want to leave Canada. What are your stats? I'm told Ontario is one of the hardest provinces to get into med school from

I agree, but it's too late to get into the US schools application game. Canada (or more specifically, Ontario) has a non-rolling admissions Oct. 15th deadline.

 

[VC15]

The Ottawa cutoff depends on your location of residence. If you're from the Ottawa region, an underserved area, or are applying to the Francophone program, it's more like 3.6. 3.8 is for people from the "rest of Ontario" and 3.87 would be for applicants from out of province.

I'm a first year med student at UWO, and applied to all the Ontario schools last year, so if any of you have questions, feel free to PM me.

As for out of province schools, I know that Alberta and Calgary take about 15% of their class from out of province, so they're worth checking out... the two hardest ones would be UBC and McGill, since they each accept only about 5 out of the 300+ out of province applicants.

 

[ocean11]

Hi Spidey.... I have investigated all this $hit backwards with Canadian med schools,


U of Alberta: Only open to Canadians, 15% are out of province
(side note: I was going to apply... but the application is a real bitc% you have to apply to the school first as an undergrad, like give your high school grades an all... then apply to the med program... blah)

UBC: I wouldn't bother unless you're from British Columbia.... I think only 2-4 students from out of province make it.

Calgary: the majority are from Alberta but chances are relatively good for out of province... (many friends of mine made it in and they are also from Ontario)

Dalhousie: only eight students from out of maritime region, should have at least an A- average

U of Laval: give it a shot if you speak french....

U of Manitoba: I am totally applying here.... although majority of students are from MB... still I like their 'GPA converting scheme' works for me..

McGill: apply here... you have a good shot if your GPA is high... even if you're not from Quebec. I don't think u need to speak French (get back to me on that one... but I'm pretty sure)

Memorial: 15 spots for non-canadians and even less from out of provinces... usually five spots (weird eh?) still though.. with a stellar essay you could get an interview.... and not many people apply..

U of Montreal: Need French fluency.... but if you speak it, definetly apply...

Saskatchewan: if you're outta province it's super competitive (realistically you have to have in the high 80's)

Sherbrooke: Fluency in french

as for the others in Ontario... I'm sure you know the score... I'm not applying to Ottawa and as for U of T... I'm not sure, my GPA is so boarderline..... but apparently they look at how hard your program was.... Sooooo yeah thats new, so I might just give it a shot

 

[ocean11]

I don't think its too late for US, and Columbia in NY is on a non-rolling basis. I know people who applied in October to the US and still got in.... it's not too late yet

 

[VC15]

ocean11, did U of T say that they now look at how "hard" your program is? It's not something they did before...

 

[Spidey]

Thanks for the info ocean11. I won't be applying for a couple years yet though... the idea of having to go to US for med school kind of makes me sad, I don't want to leave the country. And the only Canadian city with a med school I have friends in is Toronto, so UT is my first choice... unfortunately it is one of the hardest med schools... in the world... to get into. Basically I plan on trying to find some old lady there with the power to get me in and offering her my services as a sex slave or something. You know, the usual. Or maybe gay sex with the dean... hmmmm I dunno if I could make myself do that or not... hmmmmmmm stuff to think about I guess...

 

[chopsuey]

i'm american and applying to mcgill....does that count? any advice on that essay would be seroiusly appreciated....i can't find any samples so i know what kind of format they want (i know they describe it on the website, but i want to see an example...i read tons for AMCAS, and i think it really helped).

 

[chopsuey]

by the way, drake.ramoray...as a friends addict, i love your SN

 

[ljube_02]

Hey which canadian schools are good to go to for undergrad if you want to go to med school?
i.e. is UBC as reputable as NYU for undergrad? I assume it's easier to get into than u of t or mcgill?
anything else?

 

[drake.ramoray]

hmm. yeah, i was considering applying to columbia and nyu. maybe i'll do that after this OMSAS stuff is done.

 

[drake.ramoray]

Originally posted by ljube_02
Hey which canadian schools are good to go to for undergrad if you want to go to med school?
i.e. is UBC as reputable as NYU for undergrad? I assume it's easier to get into than u of t or mcgill?
anything else?

I wouldn't say it's difficult to get into UofT as an undergrad at all...

 

[ljube_02]

Hey, do i have a good chance to get into U of T or Mcgill out of usa if i have the following stats:

overall h.s. gpa about 88% and when weighted about 91%. It was higher in freshman and sophomore years. Here are grades for senior year:
1st semester:
BC Calc 85%
Ap Physics B 96%
English 85%
Economics 85%

2nd semester dont really remember but:
English 65%
AP Govt 75%
Calc 85%
Physics B 85%

Got 3 on calculus AP, 2 on Physics i feel most sad for physics, as in september i was the best student in the class, and the teacher was cool, but then i just completely lost it, the teacher was probably hoping that i wouldnt shame him on the ap test, at least, that's why he kept giving me nice grades.


So will these sat scores cover for that gpa:
Sat1: m800, v650
Sat2: math2c 800, writing 680, physics 690 ?

 

[VC15]

Which undergrad school you come from has little bearing on your chances of getting into a med school in Canada. Go where you'll be most comfortable.

 

[ocean11]

Ljube02 I want to give you a piece of advice that I wish someone gave me when i first got into university.... I went to U of T.... got a 3.5 or 3.7 if you drop my worst year.... I honestly believe that if I went to Nippising or Brock I would have gotten a perfect GPA so if you want my honest advice go to Brock.... no joke, fuc% what other people say..... get your 4.0 because med schools don't look at your undergrad institution.... no matter what people say they don't... I know a few people on the adcom committies... so yeah... I had similar stats to you in high school and got scholarships to both York and Western... turned 'em down to U of T.... no regrets but still... if I could do it all over again... I would have gotten a full scholarship, gone to Brock, gotten a 4.0 GPA average and woulda been in med school by now...

 

[BrainDrain]

Why can't Ljube02 go to UofT AND get the 4.0?

 

[ocean11]

He totally can get a 4.0 at U of T very very possible BUT it will be MUCH MUCH easier at Brock... and with all the other stresses in life... why not make things easy on yourself... as you know... U of T if full of keeners... the competition is so intense.... no joke.... people are not so willing to help you out...but hey if you're a hard worker you'll get a 4.0 anywhere you go....

 

[ljube_02]

Hi
I heard that the reputation of undergrad school is important in usa very much so. You have not gotten into med school with a 3.7 gpa from u t?? Which schools did you apply to?

I dont know if i can achieve a high gpa in college, i'll try my best... But even during h.s. i noticed that i do best if my classmates work harder. If not then i just see what i can get away with. Also, i heard that admissions to undergrad has gotten much harder now, as there are now 2 h.s. classes graduating in 2003. I dont think my parents would let me go to Brock over NYU.

Thanks

 

[Thewonderer]

Isn't part of the reason that U of Toronto's entering average is so high because it calculates GPA in a funny manner? If you applied during your 4th year (i.e. have 3 years of grades under your belt), U of T allowed you to multiple your worst year's GPA by 0.5 and the remaining two years' GPA's by 1.0 each. And if you applied after having graduated from university already, they even allow you to drop your worst year's GPA (i.e. they don't count at all) while the remaing three years of GPA follow the formula above.

http://www.library.utoronto.ca/medicine/educational_programs/admissinfo.html



Hey, there is nothing wrong with going to med school in the US. Join the braindrain!!!

 

[BrainDrain]

I'm pretty sure that formula is still in affect at UofT. Also, schools like Ottawa give your 4th yr a 4X rating, 3rd yr a 3X rating, and so on to emphasize more recent coursework...other Ontario schools also allow you to drop your worst year, etc. which explains why GPA averages at Ontario schools are so high. IMO, all years should have equal weighting to reward those who worked their a$$ off for all 4 years.

 

[ljube_02]

heh, in h.s. in freshman year i had 94% gpa, and then it kept going down steadily ...

I just noticed that U Alberta seems to put a lot of emphasis on the SAT 2 for american students. it even says that you either submit your gpa or sat2 tests, i guess which ever you like.

U of T will have twice the number of applicants for undergrad this year, because of the double cohort, i heard

 

[BrainDrain]

Ljube02,

No, the formula is for entrance into medical school, not undergrad. You are correct about the double cohort year which will see a large increase in the number of applicants to Ontario undergrad universities.

You are looking for a college yet you said you already graduated from highschool. Are you taking this year off?

 

[ljube_02]

Yes that's right. And as i have free time, I may go visit my sister across the country, by stopping in canada first

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by ljube_02
U of T will have twice the number of applicants for undergrad this year, because of the double cohort, i heard

What's this double cohort thing? Something to do with changing the number of years kids are in school? The norm in Canada is 13, instead of 12 like in the US, but it sounds like that has changed...

-RA

 

[drake.ramoray]

Ontario high schools up to this current year operated on a 5-year program (basically up to grade 13). Starting a couple years ago, however, it had been scaled down to a 4-year program to all new entering students. Therefore, you have an upcoming group of graduating students who are the last of the 5-years and the first of the 4-years all jockeying for university spots simultaneously.
yikes.

 

[drake.ramoray]

Originally posted by Thewonderer
Isn't part of the reason that U of Toronto's entering average is so high because it calculates GPA in a funny manner? If you applied during your 4th year (i.e. have 3 years of grades under your belt), U of T allowed you to multiple your worst year's GPA by 0.5 and the remaining two years' GPA's by 1.0 each. And if you applied after having graduated from university already, they even allow you to drop your worst year's GPA (i.e. they don't count at all) while the remaing three years of GPA follow the formula above.

Hmm. that's very true.
Actually, I believe the 2003 admission gpa calculation has been changed though...

 

[Random Access]

Originally posted by Thewonderer
Isn't part of the reason that U of Toronto's entering average is so high because it calculates GPA in a funny manner? If you applied during your 4th year (i.e. have 3 years of grades under your belt), U of T allowed you to multiple your worst year's GPA by 0.5 and the remaining two years' GPA's by 1.0 each. And if you applied after having graduated from university already, they even allow you to drop your worst year's GPA (i.e. they don't count at all) while the remaing three years of GPA follow the formula above.

Wow...it'd be nice to count my freshman year either not at all or 0.5. Definitely overinflates U of T. That's really sneaky...

-RA

 

[VC15]

Originally posted by Random Access
What's this double cohort thing? Something to do with changing the number of years kids are in school? The norm in Canada is 13, instead of 12 like in the US, but it sounds like that has changed...
-RA

Actually, the norm in Canada is 12 for most provinces... Ontario is one of the few that actually had grade 13 as "standard" (and the only way to graduate after 12th grade was to do some summer courses). Thankfully, that will change beginning with this current school year.

 

[badassy]

I'm so worried about getting into a medical school in Ontario, I have been looking at the stats and there scaring the **** out of me and I guess the admission requirements are only going to get harder as the years proceed.

 

[Thewonderer]

Isn't acceptance coming out soon? when exactly?

In the US, this time of the year is VERY VERY late already for acceptances to come out

 

[canadagirl]

Originally posted by Thewonderer
Isn't acceptance coming out soon? when exactly?

In the US, this time of the year is VERY VERY late already for acceptances to come out

Ontario schools all send out their acceptances on the same day: May 30th. Yes, it is VERY VERY LATE. And it SUCKS. Because you can't plan your summer or anything with any clue of where you'll be next year.

 

[drake.ramoray]

Interviews are still in progress too...

[SIGH]

 

[Thewonderer]

bump...

belated acceptances/waitlists/rejections finally came out after June 1st, eh???

that is sooooooo late......